Photo Basics: How To Use the F Stop
Posted: Monday, January 18, 2010
by Autumn Lockwood
YourPictureFrames.com
Learning how to use a camera and adjusting all of the settings manually can be an intimidating task to the new photographer. Just about every photographer has at some point ruined some pictures by reading the light wrong or by using the camera settings wrong. That is why learning the basics of photography and how to use the setting on your camera correctly can help you become a better photographer.
Defining Aperture
Aperture is simply what controls how much light is exposed to your film (or your digital camera's sensor). It can be opened and closed using the F-Stop on your camera, which is usually a ring located around the lens in between the focus ring and the body of the camera. If you've ever looked into someone's eye as light was shone into it, you have a pretty good idea of what the aperture does - it works just like a pupil.
Most cameras have an F-Stop range of 1.7/2.0 to 22 or so; the range of values usually increase with the cost and quality of the camera. You can see your camera's range by checking the numbers around your lens. Lower F-Stops are more open and expose the film to more light, while high F-Stops close the aperture and shut the light out.
How Aperture Impacts Images
Using your F-Stop to purposefully manipulate the aperture of your camera will allow you to change the depth of field shown in your photographs. If you're unfamiliar with the term, "depth of field" describes how much of your photograph is blurry, and how much is sharp. Aperture directly affects the amount of time a frame is exposed; the more time the film (or sensor) has to absorb information, the more clarity and depth will come through in the final product.
For instance, if you were to take a photograph of a line of dominoes from one end using a low F-Stop number (an open aperture), you would probably see one or two dominoes clearly and the background ones as blurry. Open apertures create a shallow depth of field. If you were to then take the same photograph with a high F-Stop (a closed aperture), you would see many more dominoes clearly down the line and get a much greater sense of how far away they might be.
Fun Aperture Experiments
Playing with the aperture on your camera can be great fun once you have a bearing on what it does. Here's a couple of ideas to try the next time you're out shooting and you want to test it out:
1) Take every photograph twice - once at a high F-Stop, and once at a low F-Stop.
2) Challenge yourself to shoot an entire roll at one F-Stop, then switch it up.
3) Put your camera on full manual and adjust the F-Stop on the fly to adjust for light
Don't forget to adjust the shutter speed of your camera to allow for more or less light (faster speeds for more light, slower speeds for less), or you may end up with overexposed or underexposed images. Many digital cameras have a fantastic option called "Aperture Priority Mode" which allows you to choose an F-Stop value and will then adjust your shutter speed automatically. It is worth pointing out that the best conditions for experimenting with aperture are overcast or cloudy days. When faced with bright or low light, your options for F-Stop values will become limited.
Of course, the best way to improve your photographic skills is to continually take pictures. Get out there and find those photographs!
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Autumn Lockwood is a writer for Your Picture Frames.com and loves picture frames. Your Picture Frames makes it easy for you to find just the perfect frame for your photo or artwork. If you're looking for a wide variety of frame sizes check out our selection of 8x10 picture frames and 5x7 picture frames now.
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